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Date:  19 June 2007

The Harvey Richmond Memorial Concert: Opera Evening provides cash boost for Ella & Ridley Jacobs House

Friends of Ella & Ridley Jacobs House raised nearly £7000 at an opera evening and supper held at Hendon Synagogue’s community centre on Sunday 17th June. The funds raised will benefit the Jewish Care residential home in Church Road, Hendon.

Two hundred people – including 14 of the home’s elderly residents – enjoyed top performances from baritone Simon Gilbert, tenor Fan-Chang Kong and bass baritone Leon Berger, accompanied by pianist Carol Wells. The programme included arias from various operas, favourite tunes such as Nessan Dorma and songs from shows.

Event organiser, Rabbi Monty Aaronberg of the Friends committee, dedicated the evening in memory of his nephew Harvey Richmond, who died in August. Mr Richmond had helped his uncle to arrange the annual concerts for the past five years. His daughter, Elisheva Richmond, 19, attended the supper and presented a bouquet to the guest of honour, Councillor Maureen Braun, the Mayor of Barnet. Also present was Andrew Dismore MP and Jewish Care’s chief executive Simon Morris.

Miss Richmond, who is taking a degree in English Literature at Queen Mary University, was unable to stay for the concert as she is in her year of mourning for her father. She thanked Rabbi Aaronberg and the Friends Committee, saying her father would have wanted the concert to go ahead.

Welcoming the guests, Natasha Carson, manager of Ella & Ridley Jacobs House, said the evening was the Friends committee’s biggest fundraising event. She thanked Rabbi Aaronberg and Friends chairman Cecil Landsman, saying: “They are more than a fundraising committee – they help us in so many ways and make a real difference to our 47 residents.” Miss Carson said the funds would provide “new chairs, bedspreads and curtains – to make the home fresh and welcoming, an inviting place to live in and work in.”

Afterwards, Rabbi Aaronberg said the evening had gone “extremely well. There was a wonderful atmosphere. I am very satisfied with the way everything went.”